During Sunday afternoon’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, star New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones made quite a controversial block attempt on Bengals cornerback Eli Apple, who promptly blasted him for his “dirty play” after the game. The hit sparked an NFL investigation, and it appears the league has determined a punishment.
According to a report from NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Jones was fined over 11,000 for the hit as the league deemed that it was illegal.
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Mac Jones will be fined $11,139 for his low block on Apple,” Florio wrote on Pro Football Talk. “It happened after a change of possession; by rule, all blocks below the waist are a violation at that point.”
Florio reports that Jones will be officially notified of his fine via a letter on either Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon.
Jones defended his actions after the game, claiming that the decision to throw the block on Apple was a “split-second decision” and that there was “no intention to hurt anyone on that play.”
Regardless of whether there was intent to injure or not, the block was deemed illegal and now it will cost Jones.
